Cpu socket connector

ABSTRACT

An electrical socket connector comprises a base ( 11 ), a cover ( 12 ) movably mounted on the base, and a fastening means ( 14 ). The base has a contact receiving portion ( 111 ) and a first protruding section ( 110 ) at one end thereof. A plurality of conductive contacts are received into the contact receiving portion of the base and each contact has a solder ball ( 112 ) attached thereon. The fastening means is assembled on the first protruding section of the base and at least has a soldering portion ( 141 ). The soldering portion and the solder balls are soldered on a PCB.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a central processing unit (CPU)socket connector, and particularly to a CPU socket connector that can besecurely soldered on a printed circuit board (PCB).

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 8A, a conventional CPU socket connector8 (shown upside down against a printed circuit board (PCB) 7) comprisesa base 82, a cover 83 movably mounted on the base 82, and an actuator 84for driving the cover 83 to move on the base 82. The base 82 generallyhas a protruding section 821 at one end thereof. A plurality ofconductive contacts (not shown) are received in the base 82 and eachcontact has a solder ball 81 attached thereon. The socket connector 8 issoldered on an upper surface of the PCB 7 by being subjected to a reflowprocess. The soldering balls 81 are soldered on solder pads (not shown)attached on the upper surface of the PCB 7 so that the socket connector8 is electrically connected with the PCB 7.

[0005] Sometimes, it is desirable to solder a plurality of electricalelements on a bottom surface of the PCB 7 after the socket connector 8is soldered on the upper surface, so the PCB 7 must be turned over andsubjected to a reflow process with the socket connector 8 already inplace. The solder balls 81 will melt again during the second reflowprocess and the socket connector 8 will tend to incline downwardlybecause the center of gravity of the socket connector 8 is near theprotruding section 821. The soldering balls 81 adjacent to theprotruding section 821 may become disconnected from the solder pads onthe PCB 7 (see FIG. 8A) and this affects the electrical connectionbetween the contacts of the socket connector 8 and the PCB 7.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a CPU socketconnector which is securely retained on a PCB during an invented solderreflow process by providing a fastening means soldered on the PCB.

[0007] In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical socketconnector in accordance with the present invention comprises a base, acover movably mounted on the base and a fastening means. The base hascontact receiving portion over much of its bottom surface, and a firstprotruding section at one end thereof. A plurality of conductivecontacts are received into corresponding passageways of the base andeach has a solder ball attached thereon. The fastening means isassembled on the first protruding section of the base and at least has asoldering portion. The soldering portion and the solder balls aresoldered on the PCB together.

[0008] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the inventionwill become more apparent from the following detailed description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a CPU socket connector inaccordance with the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of a fastening means of FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of a recess of FIG. 1;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a side view of the CPU socket connector shown in FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a CPU socket connector inaccordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 3A is an enlarged view of a fastening means of FIG. 3;

[0015]FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of vertical and horizontal recesses ofFIG 3;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective bottom-aspect view of a CPU socketconnector in accordance with a third embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0017]FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of a fastening means of FIG. 4;

[0018]FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of an actuator received in the CPUsocket connector of FIG. 4;

[0019]FIG. 5 is an assembled view of FIG. 4;

[0020]FIG. 5A is an enlarged view of the assembled fastening means ofFIG. 5;

[0021]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a CPU socket connector inaccordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0022]FIG. 6A is an enlarged view of a fastening means of FIG. 6;

[0023]FIG. 7 is a side view of the CPU socket connector shown in FIG. 6;

[0024]FIG. 8 is a side view of a conventional CPU socket connector; and

[0025]FIG. 8A is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1, 1A, 1B and 2, a central processing unit(CPU) socket connector 1 in accordance with a first embodiment of thepresent invention comprises a base 11, a cover 12 movably mounted ontothe base 11, an actuator 13 and a fastening means 14.

[0027] The base 11 has a contact receiving portion 111, and a firstprotruding section 110 extending from one end of the contact receivingportion 111. The contact receiving portion 111 has a plurality ofcontacts (not shown) received therein and each contact has a solder ball112 attached thereon. Each solder ball 112 extends out of the base 11from a bottom surface 115. The socket connector 1 can be electricallyconnected with a printed circuit board (PCB) (not shown) with the solderballs 112 soldered on the PCB. The first protruding section 110 definesa pair of recesses 1141 in a sidewall 114 of the first protrudingsection 110, with a pair of securing walls 1142 at a pair of sides ofeach recess 1141. The cover 12 has a second protruding section 123formed at one end thereof corresponding to the first protruding section110 of the base 11 and a plurality of terminal receiving holes 121corresponding to the contact receiving portion 111. The actuator 13 witha cam (not shown) engaged in the first protrusion section 110 and thesecond protrusion section 123, can drive the cover 12 to move on thebase 11.

[0028] The fastening means 14 is stamped from a metal sheet andcomprises a horizontal portion 141 and a vertical portion 142 verticallyextending from one end of the horizontal portion 141. The verticalportion 142 has a pair of barbs 1421 formed on opposite sides 1422thereof. The vertical portion 142 is received in the recess 1141 and thehorizontal portion 141 extends opposite to the base 11. The barbs 1421interferentially engage with the securing walls 1142 thereby ensuringthe vertical portion 142 of the fastening means 14 are fixed in therecesses 1141. The bottom surface 1411 of the horizontal portion 141 hassolder 2 attached thereon.

[0029] The socket connector 1 is soldered on the PCB with the solder 2on the horizontal portion 141 of the fastening means 14 and the solderballs 112 being soldered on the PCB together. Thus, the mating forcebetween the socket connector 1 and the PCB is increased. When the PCB isturned over and subjected to a back side reflow process together withthe socket connector 1, the solder balls 112 and the solder 2 areheated. The socket connector 1 does not incline downwardly because ofthe connecting force between the solder 2 and the PCB.

[0030]FIGS. 3, 3A and 3B show a CPU socket connector in accordance witha second embodiment of the present invention. A first protruding section110′ defines a pair of horizontal recesses 1151′ in a bottom surface115′, the horizontal recesses 1151′ being in communication with a pairof vertical recesses 1141′ defined in a side wall 114′ of the firstprotruding section 110′. A fastening means 14′ comprises a horizontalportion 141′ and a vertical portion 142′ perpendicular to the horizontalportion 141′. The vertical portion 142′ has a pair of barbs 1421′ formedon opposite sides 1422′ thereof. After the fastening means 14′ isassembled to the first protruding section 110′, the vertical portion142′ is received in the vertical recess 1141′ with the barbs 1421′interferentially engaging with securing walls 1142′ of the verticalrecess 1141′ and the horizontal portion 141′ being received in thehorizontal recess 1151′. The horizontal portion 141′ are soldered on aPCB 6 during a reflow process. The fastening means 14′ have the samefunction as the fastening means 14 of the CPU socket connector inaccordance with the first embodiment and an area occupied by the CPUsocket connector is less for the second embodiment than for the firstembodiment.

[0031]FIGS. 4, 4A, 4B, 5 and 5A show a CPU socket connector inaccordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. A firstprotruding section 110″ of a base 11″ defines an elliptical hole 1153″in a center of a bottom surface 115″ thereof. A cover 12″ defines acircular hole (not shown) corresponding to the elliptical hole 1153″. Anactuator 13″ is received in the elliptical hole 1153″ and in thecircular hole. The actuator 13″ comprises a cam 131″ and a rivetingportion 132″. A fastening means 14″ is stamped from a metal sheet andcomprises a base portion 141″, a through hole 1410″ defined through thebase portion 141″ and a pair of soldering portions 142″ extendingdownwardly and outwardly from opposite sides of the base portion 141″.The first protruding section 110″ of the base 11″ defines a circularrecess 1151″ encircling the elliptical hole 1153″ and a pair ofrectangular recesses 1152″ on opposite sides of the circular recess1151″. In assembly, the riveting portion 132″ is received in the throughhole 1410″, the base portion 141″ is received in the circular recess1151″ and the pair of soldering portions 142″ is received in the pair ofrectangular recesses 1152″. Each soldering portion 142″ has a soldersurface 1421″ which has a same function as the horizontal portion 141 ofthe first embodiment.

[0032]FIGS. 6, 6A and 7 show a CPU socket connector in accordance with afourth embodiment of the present invention. A fastening means 14′″comprises a vertical portion 142′″ and a first and second horizontalportions 141′″, 143′″ extending from opposite ends of the verticalportion 142′″. The first horizontal portion 141′″ has a solder surface1411′″ and is soldered on a PCB. The second horizontal portion 143′″extends toward the CPU socket connector and abuts an upper surface ofthe second protruding section 123′″ of the cover 12′″ for securing theCPU socket connector on the PCB.

[0033] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape,size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention tothe full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms inwhich the appended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrical socket connector for being solderedon a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising: a base having a pluralityof passageways defined therethrough and a first protruding sectionformed at one end thereof; a plurality of conductive contacts receivedin the passageways of the base and each contact having a solder ballattached thereon; a cover being movably mounted on the base; and atleast a fastening means assembled on the first protruding section of thebase and having at least a soldering portion, the soldering portion andthe solder balls being soldered on the PCB.
 2. The electrical socketconnector as described in claim 1, wherein the cover has a secondprotruding section formed at one end thereof and corresponding to thefirst protruding section of the base.
 3. The electrical socket connectoras described in claim 1, wherein the fastening means is stamped from ametal sheet and comprises a horizontal portion and a vertical portionvertically extending from one end of the horizontal portion, and thehorizontal portion is the soldering portion.
 4. The electrical socketconnector as described in claim 3, wherein the vertical portion of thefastening means has a pair of barbs formed on opposite sides thereof. 5.The electrical socket connector as described in claim 4, wherein thefirst protruding section of the base defines at least a recess in asidewall thereof with a pair of securing walls at a pair of sides of therecess, the vertical portion of the fastening means being received inthe recess and the barbs of the vertical portion interferentiallyengaging with the securing walls of the recess.
 6. The electrical socketconnector as described in claim 5, wherein the horizontal portion of thefastening means extends opposite to the base.
 7. The electrical socketconnector as described in claim 5, wherein the first protruding sectionof the base has a horizontal recess in a bottom surface thereof and incommunication with the recess in the sidewall of the first protrudingsection, and the horizontal portion of the fastening means is receivedin the horizontal recess of the base.
 8. The electrical socket connectoras described in claim 2, wherein the first and second protruding sectionof the base and the cover define an elliptical hole and a circular holerespectively, the elliptical and circular holes each have an actuatorreceived therein, and the actuator comprises a cam being received in theelliptical hole and the circular hole and a riveting portion.
 9. Theelectrical socket connector as described in claim 8, wherein thefastening means comprises a base portion, a through hole being definedthrough the base portion for receiving the riveting portion of theactuator, and the soldering portion extending to a side of the baseportion.
 10. The electrical socket connector as described in claim 9,wherein the first protruding section of the base defines a circularrecess and a rectangular recess on a bottom surface thereof, and thebase portion and soldering portion of the fastening means are receivedin the circular recess and rectangular recess, respectively.
 11. Anelectrical socket connector assembly comprising: an electrical socketconnector comprising a base having a plurality of passageways definedtherethrough and a protruding section at one end thereof, a plurality ofconductive contacts being received in the passageways of the base andeach having a solder ball attached thereon, a cover being movablymounted on the base; a printed circuit board for soldering theelectrical socket connector thereon; and a fastening means being fixedon the PCB and comprising a vertical portion, a first and a secondhorizontal portions extending from opposite ends of the verticalportion, the first horizontal portion being soldered on the PCB and thesecond horizontal portion extending toward the socket connector andabutting against an upper surface of the cover.
 12. An electrical socketconnector assembly comprising: a printed circuit board; a base seated onthe printed circuit board and defining a plurality of passageways and aprotrusion section at one end thereof; a plurality of contacts disposedin the corresponding passageways, respectively, each of said contactsincluding at a lower end thereof a solder ball soldered on the printedcircuit board; a cover attached unto the base and moveable relative tothe base in a front-to-back direction; a cam located in said protrusionsection; and at least one solder pad retainably horizontally located onan underside of the protrusion section and soldered unto the printedcircuit board so as to provide said protrusion section with support onthe printed circuit board in a vertical direction perpendicular to saidfront-to-back direction.